UMASS BOSTON GERONTOLOGY NEWS

FEBRUARY 2026

Logan’s Run: A Dystopian Movie with Real-Life Echoes

What would a society look like if it didn’t include anyone over age 30? That’s the premise of the 1976 dystopian movie Logan’s Run. When Brookline's Science on Screens series featured this movie, it included a talk by Caitlin Coyle, the director of the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA), about the study of aging.

Coyle's work defies the premise of that movie: She helps communities become more age-friendly. She's in the midst of an assessment of Brookline, working to empower the town to adopt strategic practices for older residents.

“We lay the groundwork for communities to be effective in creating age-friendly environments and to make informed decisions about aging in their community,’” Coyle says.

Kimpel Scholars: These Undergraduate Interns Gain Valuable Skills While Contributing to PAC’s Mission 

Since 2020, the Pension Action Center has hired UMass Boston undergraduate students as interns through the generosity of an endowment established by John and Patricia Kimpel. This year, two students—Kristol Callender and Nicco Hayashi—earned positions as Kimpel Scholars.

Learn about the work that Callender and Hayashi do as Kimpel Scholars, which not only advances PAC's mission but gives these students crucial intergenerational skills and communication experience.

UMass Boston Gerontology in the News

It's Time to Rethink What Aging Well Means
Kiplinger
Are the prevailing ideas of "aging well" too exclusionary? Do they focus mainly on people who are in good physical and financial health? This story, which cites Michelle Putnam, explores what (and who) gets left out when ageist ideas infuse popular opinions.

New Medicaid Work Rules Likely to Hit Middle-Aged Adults Hard
KFF News
Women aged 50 to 64 are likely to face disproportionate impact by the new work requirement for Medicaid coverage. “We’re talking about saving money at the expense of people’s lives. The work requirement is just a tool to do that,” said Jane Tavares.

Higher Medicaid Rates Boost Chances of 4- and 5-Star Ratings for Nursing Homes, JAMDA Study Finds
Skilled Nursing News
Higher payment rates have a connection to higher Care Compare ratings, according to recent research from Edward Alan Miller, Elizabeth Simpson, and Marc Cohen. “Collectively, these additional investments – in more qualified staff, enhanced training, and quality improvement initiatives – translate to higher overall star ratings,” the study stated.

Retirement Savings 'Lost and Found' Helps Retirees Track Down Old 401(k)s, Pensions
CNBC
A federal database helps people track down old 401(k)s, and the Pension Action Center helps many people recover them. But currently, that database is only available for people 65 or older. Tyler Compton talks about the benefits of expanded access.

Medway, Millis Learn Results of UMass Elder Study
Franklin Observer
Two towns in Massachusetts are studying the results of a community, age-friendly assessment, led by the Center for Social and Demographic Research in Aging.

Photo of the Month: Puzzle Day

Puzzle Day was a big success! We hosted a Puzzle Day in the student center at UMass Boston, after being inspired by the work of Nancy Linde, a former UMass Boston student who launched Never2Old4Games to create high-quality games for older adults.

It's not just older adults who benefit from the fun and challenge of games, however. Students – from freshmen to PhD students – came together to assemble puzzles. Staff and faculty joined the fun, too. They completed all five puzzles, some students even asking to stay late to finish. For an hour or so, students could put away their phones, meet new people, and enjoy the group challenge of a puzzle. Research tells us that puzzles can create a social and cognitive benefit; on Puzzle Day, we got to see those benefits first hand.